Another Major Change to the H50

The 350 at Hayes & Harlington / Clarendon Road
© Lewis JN

Route 350 began life as the H50 stationlink in 2000, run by Wings

2525, YX15OWO, Stockley Business Park
© Lewis JN

from Hayes (WS) using specially branded, green East Lancs-bodied Darts which shuttled between West Drayton and Hayes & Harlington stations via the newly constructed Stockley Business Park. Throughout the life of the H50, it passed from Wings to Tellings Golden Miller and then to Travel London, despite being constantly run from the same base. The route was converted to double-deck in 2006, using B7TL Geminis which are now on route 157, following issues with overcrowding.

2526, YX15OWU, Hayes Clarendon Road
© Lewis JN

2008 saw the opening of Heathrow Terminal 5 in, well...  Heathrow. The new terminal required transport links to fully integrate itself with the rest of civilisation, and one of the routes which was altered was the H50. It was extended from West Drayton, through Harmondsworth, to Terminal 5, and renumbered 350. The 350 began a few days before Terminal 5 opened, so buses temporarily curtailed at Harmondsworth before the new terminal was accessible by the public. In 2009, Travel London was sold to Abellio, who have operated the route ever since. When the H50 became the 350, the route was back to being single decker, but loadings saw the route converted to double deckers again in 2012 using Tridents displaced from the 3 (which were strangely older than the deckers which converted the H50 back in 2006!).

2526, YX15OWU, Heathrow Terminal 5
© Aubrey Morandarte

The 350 is actually the first route which I have now covered twice - the route was one of my first outings when I began photography three years ago; I would put up some pictures from back then but after a thorough browse I decided it best that I didn't! Ah well, everyone has to start somewhere...

These Tridents have served the 350 well for the last 3 years, but a new contract sees brand new Enviro400MMCs enter service on the route.

9772 and 2527 side-by-side at Clarendon Road
© Lewis JN

After riding on a few of them on the 350 and 109, I must say I like the new design: they're very smooth and a pleasant place to be, albeit today one managed to break down on its first day in service. The problem with new buses is all the new technology which makes them confusing and practically obnoxious buses, refusing to do anything unless a specific order is followed. Luckily at the demise of the Enviro, a good old Trident came to the rescue!


Finally, before I forget to mention it: Stockley Park is lovely for bus photography, especially with these new buses.